London's Giant Telescope

The Amazing Telectroscope
A view of New York's Brooklyn Bridge from across the Atlantic at London's Tower Bridge

Imagine being able to spy on your neighbors... from 3470 miles away. Londoners can now spy on their New York neighbors with the help of the amazing Telectroscope. And vice-versa.

Jeepers, creepers, where'd you get those eyes?
(The British end of the Telectroscope at the Tower Bridge in London)

It looks amazing, but it's actually a little more high tech than a telescope. The inventor, Paul St. George, a London artist, isn't saying how the images are relayed but some claim they're the result of fiber optic technology or broadband and satellite imagery.

I Spy Cop Guys
(All the way from London)

St. George has added a bit of mystery to his device, claiming he's merely added on to tunnel built beneath the Atlantic by his great-grandfather. We're busy compiling a list of sites we'd love to "spy" on or perhaps a pair of giant tin cans connected by string.

We think St. George's "telescope" is kind of cool, a toy for all ages.

By LBG
Images - Daily Mail - The Amazing Telescope That Lets You See New York From London's Tower Bridge
Source - Daily Mail

UK PC Criminal: 15-Yr-Old Youth Who Called Scientology a Cult

"Anonymous" protests Scientology

If there's any doubt that the enforcement of political correctness in the U.K. is turning ordinary citizens into criminals, a 15-yr-old youth was issued a criminal summons after he had written on a sign that Scientology was a cult.

Police confiscated his protest sign at a demonstration against the Church of Scientology at their headquarters in London and then issued him a criminal summons. According to the British newspaper the Guardian, the 15-yr-old had written on a sign: "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult". The police called it "abusive and insulting".

Just who was abusive and insulting?

The unnamed 15-yr-old boy stood his ground and quoted a 1984 High Court ruling by Justice Lahey in which the justice described the religion as "corrupt, sinister, and dangerous".

We agree. We find the fact that anyone could face a criminal proceeding for calling Scientology a cult abusive, insulting, and sinister.

This means that Scientology, which is a cult, can now pedal its wares without fear of impunity.

We wondered what Tom Cruise, producer, movie star, and the world's most famous and vocal member of Scientology would say about police arresting people for calling his church a cult? Is his religion so fragile that a 15-yr-old boy, in a peaceful demonstration, now faces a fine or jail? Since when does a worldwide church with megabucks allow the U.K. police to act as their enforcers, effectively silencing its detractors? What does this say about the British government, who are protecting a "religion" and not the rights of its citizens to voice their opinions about a religion?

This smacks of the Saudi Arabia's Sharia police, which are referred to as Haya or the Commission. The Haya are under the aegis of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

The Commission are the watchdogs of the Saudis and are hyperguardians of all things Islam. Women, not accompanied by a male member of her family, can be promptly arrested by the Haya. Improper dress or enforcing the strict Islam dress code and arresting those who, in the minds of the Commission, speak "ill" of Islam are some of the daily duties of the Vice and Virtue Squads that hit the streets of Saudi Arabia.

Now we're beginning to see some of the same type of pattern, of a police organization, the Brit coppers, being used to effectively silence critics of a religion, Scientology.

Political Correctness, the use of governments and laws to foist thought behavior and what people can and cannot say in order to "not offend". It's evident that the police are now being used to protect certain people and organizations from being "offended". Being "offensive" is now considered an illegal activity and punishable under the law.

This is a matter of legal ethics, people are being punished for vocalizing what others have deemed to be unethical, offensive, or insulting. The people who should be offended or insulted are the taxpayers who foot the bill for this and the citizens who are being branded as criminals for exercising their right to free speech.

Scientology and the British authorities should be ashamed of themselves. The Brit police for making criminals out of people who protest that Scientology is a cult. Scientology, for hiding behind the skirts of the British government, allowing people to face criminal charges because they've offended the religion.

In order not to "offend" the British authorities have become the offensive, abusing their authority, turning people into criminals for exercising their right to free speech.

Only cults are afraid of criticism and are willing to punish people.

By LBG

Source - The Guardian - Teenager Faces Prosecution for calling Scientology a cult
Source - The Economist - Vicious About Virtue
Image - Anonymous





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Olympic Torches Protests: One Solution?

The Chinese government probably had no idea.

Eight protesters in Tibet were shot dead by Chinese police and the idea of a protest-free visit by the Olympic flame relay through London is dead also.

The police feared violence could disrupt the event.

Campaigners vowed to redouble their protests after hearing of the deaths yesterday during one of the bloodiest clashes since pro-independence protests began last month.

They said that they would target the Chinese Ambassador to London, Fu Ying, who is scheduled to take her turn carrying the torch as it makes its way from Wembley Arena to Canary Wharf. Last night the Chinese Embassy declined to confirm whether she would take part. A number of celebrities have withdrawn from the event or made themselves unavailable in protest at China’s heavy-handed crackdown on Tibetan protesters who are demanding independence.

RidesAPaleHorse has a small suggestion for ensuring the safety of the Olympic Torch when it reaches London. He submitted the above photo as proof it could work.

It reminds one of Oliver Wendell Holmes: "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."

by Mondoreb
image: RidesAPaleHorse
Sources:
* Olympic Flame Sparks Protests over China, Tibet
* Police Fear Olympic Torch protests after China shootings in Tibet


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Pet Girl Thrown Off Bus; Bus Company Apologizes For Treating Her Like a Pet

Or
If A Goth Chick says she's a pet,
Acts like a pet And is on a leash,
Why get upset when she's treated like a pet?


[hat tip: Anna]

We were over at Anna's Clue Tank and saw this story about some Goth chick being led around on a leash.

Okay, nothing too far out of the ordinary there: Goth chicks just wanna have fun and all that.

But this Goth chick said that she was some guy's "pet".

Okay, different strokes for different folks, as they used to say in the Jimmy Carter, whacked-out '70s. Whatever.

And then, the bus company kicked her off the bus she was riding on in London.

Okay, that's easy to figure: most public transportation companies in the U.S. have rules about pets riding the buses, right?

But then, the Goth chick gets upset at being treated like the "pet" she wants to be. So the bus company does what any business operating in the modern world of the hair-trigger uber-offended would do: it apologizes for treating her like a pet.

What does the Goth chick say?

"I am a pet," she told the Daily Mail. "I generally act animal-like and I lead a really easy life.

So what kind of apology would the bus company offer her?

"Sorry for treating you like you--like the pet you said you were?"

Anna had this to say, as a way of introducing said story.

At various anime conventions I have seen people leading other people around on leashes, even one girl leading a boy on a leash. Since I was at conventions and the people were in costume, I merely thought they were acting out some role and never thought too hard on it.

A British bus company has apologized to a girl who is led around on a leash by her boyfriend and describes herself as a human pet after one of its drivers threw her off a bus.

Tasha Maltby, 19, told British newspapers she was the "pet" of her 25-year-old fiance Dani Graves.

Pictures showed her dressed in black Gothic-style clothing with silver buckles on a silver chain -- which the driver of a bus from the firm Arriva took exception to.

She told the Daily Mail newspaper Wednesday she was thrown off and told: "We don't let freaks and dogs like you on."

Arriva would not comment on specifics but said it apologized if the couple felt they had been discriminated against. It added, however, that the driver was worried about safety and the company told Maltby to take the leash off in the future.



"We have spoken to the driver who has talked about health and safety," a spokesman said. "Should she be attached to a chain and something happens on the bus, that could be dangerous. All we are saying is that she is very welcome to use the buses but not when she is on her lead."

Seems reasonable to us. What's a Goth chick to do?

Maltby -- who lives on state benefits and got engaged in November -- said her choice of lifestyle might seem unusual but was harmless.

"I am a pet," she told the Daily Mail. "I generally act animal-like and I lead a really easy life. I don't cook or clean and I don't go anywhere without Dani. It might seem strange but it makes us both happy. It's my culture and my choice. It isn't hurting anyone."

The story didn't specify what type of pet Ms. Maltby is supposed to be. Perhaps, a pet Goth chick.

We say, "live and let live".

We also say, "make sure she's housebroken".


by Mondoreb
images:
* tehmugshots; * academyart
Sources:
* Pet Girl Kicked off bus
* Does she use a litter box?



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Boy George Charged With Male Model Imprisonment

Aging Culture Club pop icon Boy George, aka George O'Dowd, is once again in hot water with the authorities. In 2006 a New York City judge ordered George to pick up trash for community service and enter a drug rehab program after George pled guilty to third-degree false reporting of an incident. (George was busted for cocaine possession)

This time the authorities are in London and George is accused of false imprisonment and making threats.

LONDON - Musician Boy George was charged Tuesday with falsely imprisoning a 28-year-old man, British police said.

The 47-year old singer and DJ, whose real name is George O'Dowd, has been ordered to appear before a court on Nov. 22.

The Sun newspaper reported in April that a Norwegian man, Auden Karlsen, 28, claimed he was chained and threatened at O'Dowd's London flat, where he had gone as a photo model.

When the NYC judge ordered George to "pick up trash" I doubt the judge was referring to the Norwegian male model wanna-be.

Source - wcbstv.com - Boy George's Last Chance: Fines, Rehab, Service
Source - The Morning Call - Boy George Charged With False Imprisonment

By LBG
Image [swedevice.com]



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